The story of the cherry tree
by Solosan
Summary: I am NOT Sakura. My name is Aika Haruno, I am Sakura's mother. But why is everything in Konoha so different? And where is my baby? Rated for later scenes.


I should be dead. I am a mother, a civilian wife… I am most definitely not alive. Not when an Uchiha's jutsu accidently hit me in the third great ninja war. I left my daughter when she was only two months.

Can anyone please explain to me why I wake up in the 20 year old body of my daughter? And why this body should be dead?

I think it's easier to explain from the very beginning. From the fear, explosions and shouting that was my last night alive.

-*-

Aika Haruno scooped her two month old child into her arms before streaking out of their small house. "Shhh baby, don't cry, everything is going to be alright."

With a sinking feeling in her stomach she watched as her small home burned having been caught between a jutsu of one of the Uchiha Clan. Her house being on the outskirts of the Hidden Village of Konoha had been in the danger zone. She looked up to see the sky that should be blue and cloudless had become darkened with the ashes of burning homes and people. An oily cloud the highlighted a nightmare.

In the distance but still too close was the shape of a demon, a Kyuubi they had said, a being that existed simply to destroy. Even from here she could feel pure evil roiling off it in waves, was this its' chakra? Holding the squalling child to her chest she glanced around for help, and noted a masked boy with white hair calmly looking at her amid the chaos. In a flash he appeared before her, "Are you a civilian?"

She nodded, this must be one of the genin. His one scared eye was a different colour she noticed vaguely. "I am Kakashi Hatake, Jounin. It's this way to the escapee zone."

"Jounin?" She followed automatically, making small talk as though the world wasn't about to crash about her head.

He smiled, or she thought he smiled from the way his eyes crinkled, "Yeah."

"You're amazing Kakashi kun."

He stared at her before snorting a brief laugh. "You are an amazing person. You do know that? You can walk and talk with me in the middle of a war. You can run into a burning building and walk out with your kid. And you do it without panicking."

She nodded thoughtfully as more people ran past them screaming for the Village gates. She pointed at them, "Would you feel better if I acted like they do?" She rubbed her fingers soothingly against her baby's' back, "It wouldn't change a thing now would it?"

He nodded.

"Then why do it? It's a waste of time and energy."

He didn't reply. Eventually they reached the gate, he pointed through them, "Make your way up the Hokage monument. Join the rest and be safe."

"Thank you Kakashi kun."

He smiled again but as he turned to leave he was stopped by a soft hand on his shoulder. He turned around just in time to be hugged. "And don't look like that."

He stood awkwardly, "Like what?"

"Don't look so old and tired."

She let him go and resettled her baby Sakura before going on ahead. There was a shrill whine in the air and she ducked automatically, a kunai hitting the wall just above her head vibrating loudly. A second later a body hit hers and set her down five feet away. The white haired boy was cursing something about "stupid slow reflexes" followed by "idiotic civilians".

"Thank you."

Kakashi sighed and looked around to see where the kunai came from, if it was a stray or had it been aiming for- A Iwa ninja was fighting an Uchiha from what he could see. "Damn them for attacking now, they probably lured Kyuubi to our gates!"

Aika looked up dazedly in time to see the Uchiha flash throughhand signals and send something that warped space straight at the enemy. She also registered that being right behind the ninja she and the children were in danger too. With the instincts of a mother, even more so than a ninja she thrust her child and the white haired child away. The boy blinked at her when she yelled, "Take care of Sakura!"

Another moment passed and she floated in a void. She could really say it was unpleasant, she couldn't remember how long she was there. There was no colour, no sound, no thoughts, only a feeling of floating suspended. She had an odd feeling she was being called as though something was holding her back and then she felt cold.

Sheets crackled as she moved. Aika was lying on a steel table with a sheet over her and no clothes. She stifled a moan as blood pumped sluggishly through cold veins the returning feeling had her twisting in agony.

There was a masculine shriek and a hand pulled away the sheet from her face. The harsh white light glaring at her made her blink blaringly. It was a medic, "Haruno san? Are you alive."

Aika managed to nod slowly, make joints in her neck crick that she hadn't known existed. She lay still rather even as every cell seemed to be slowly burning. She tried to speak but her mouth was too dry and it hurt to breath.

"Holy shit!" Arms immediately lifted her up and there was running, each step a jolt that had her wishing for immediate relief. Even childbirth was not this torturous.

"Tsunade sama! Any one! Haruno san is still alive!"

A blonde ninja stared in horror, "What are you doing to the body of my friend?"

"She's still alive!"

"I'm going to make you wish you were never born you sick basta-"

Aika twitched and took a painful rattling breath. Immediately blue eyes came into view, "Forehead? Holy crap, you're alive." The blue eyed lady glared at the poor medic holding Aika, "Why aren't you finding anyone to help? You're a bloody medic, help her or I'm going to twist your balls off of you."

In this chaos Aika fell unconscious, sending Ino and the Konoha medic into a panic. Several thing happened that day. The funeral was called off much to the funeral goers surprise. From where most of them transported themselves to the hospital.

The stone masons only got half a name carved onto the cenotaph.

A Hokage who was dead sober for once was rushed to the emergency to discover a miracle.

Aika woke again to see a blonde bosomed woman she knew as one of the ninja sleeping in a rather uncomfortable chair beside her. All pain seemed for the moment gone but she didn't want to test it too far, she leaned cautiously over the side, "Excuse me…"

No response.

Moving right next to the lady's ear. "Excuse me!"

The effect was similar to an electric shock. The lady tumbled backwards, bouncing disturbingly as she did so and glared at Aika. Speaking rather bitterly, "Good morning. How do you feel?"

Aika stared at the lady, "I am dead."

"Yes… You were." The lady struggled with the words as though she hadn't understood them just yet.

"Why am I alive?"

The lady settled herself back into her chair, "I was hoping you'd be able to tell me that. What's the last thing you remember?"

Aika thought hard, it was difficult trying to remember like wading through thick mud, "I was hit by a jutsu…"

"What kind of jutsu?" The lady leaned forward, again bouncing disturbingly.

"A jutsu that… threw holes. Sorry I'm not much help there. I have a more important question to ask. Have you seen my baby?"

The blonde almost fell out of her seat, "Sakura?"

Aika smiled happily, "Yes! Sakura is my baby! Have you seen her?"


End file.
